Talking to Youth About COVID 19

The Cybersafecare website was created to help parents and caregivers help keep kids safe online.

With this goal in mind, we have decided to include information during the COVID-19 pandemic to help you with challenging questions and concerns that children and youth may have.

With school being out, youth may be online more than ever before, both for educational purposes, and for socializing while isolating or self-distancing. Maybe more than ever, it is important to talk to children and youth about what they are reading and who they are interacting with online. There is a lot of information that kids are accessing about the pandemic – some of which is helpful and some sources that could be misleading and possibly harmful

Please see below for links to reliable, accurate resources and videos that can help spark your conversation.

Supporting Families Through Covid-19 ~

Supporting you through Covid-19
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection is offering resources and information to keep families, schools, child-serving organizations, and, most importantly, children safe during this unprecedented time. (Canadian Centre for Child Protection)

Keeping Children Safe During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Developed in collaboration with national and provincial shelter and transition house organizations, the Learning Network has produced a backgrounder that shares important considerations and strategies for keeping children who may be at an increased risk of experiencing abuse or maltreatment safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. (vawlearningnetwork.ca)

Unsure of how to talk to your child about COVID-19? Here are some helpful tips
Adults and kids alike are hearing a lot about COVID-19 these days, and there may be lots of family conversations filled with questions and concerns about the illness. Dr. Rachel Mitchell, child and youth psychiatrist, shares some important advice to help parents talk to children and teens about COVID-19 (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre)

Talking To Kids about COVID-19
Coping with the uncertainty around COVID-19 is challenging for most adults, and kids may be having an even tougher time during the pandemic. Social isolation, being off school for an extended period of time, and uncertainty about what all this means for their friends and family are just a few of the concerns young children and teens may have at this time. Here are some things that may help (Anxiety Canada)

Talking To Kids about COVID-19
Whether or not the youth in your life have OCD or a related disorder, this may still be a stressful time for them. If they do live with OCD or a related disorder, you may notice their symptoms getting worse or more intense (International OCD Foundation)

Digital Consent in the Age of COVID-19
Living in the digital age has taken on a whole new meaning as we collectively navigate a crucial need for social isolation in the face of a global pandemic. As kids and teens are staying connected online through Zoom, Facetime, Xbox, and more, this is an opportune moment for parents to talk to their children about respecting digital boundaries (National Sexual Violence Resource Center)

Recommended Sites for Youth ~

We’re here for you during COVID-19
Kids Help Phone knows the news has been dominated by some triggering headlines lately. We also know that COVID-19 — a novel coronavirus (a.k.a. new virus) affecting people in Canada and across the world — is something that may be on your mind (Kids Help Phone)

The Interministerial Women's Secretariat acknowledges the previous work of Cybersafe Girl, a regional, bilingual public education program developed and supported by the Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women in Canada to provide information to girls, families and educators about how girls can be safe online.